The Sopranos: David Chase Talks About the Last Episode

Published: June 12, 2007

With the TV audience still reeling from the series finale blackout of The Sopranos, creator David Chase is still in France with his wife. He did however take a few moments to make some brief statements to the Newark Star-Ledger about the finale. As expected, the TV master prefers to let the final scene speak for itself.

“I have no interest in explaining, defending, reinterpreting, or adding to what is there,” Chase said. “No one was trying to be audacious, honest to God. We did what we thought we had to do. No one was trying to blow people’s minds, or thinking, ‘Wow, this’ll (tick) them off.’ People get the impression that you’re trying to (mess) with them and it’s not true. You’re trying to entertain them.”

While many believe that the series ending was written to leave things open to interpretation, Chase seems to feel differently, adding, “Anybody who wants to watch it, it’s all there.”

Though Chase was tight-lipped about what it all meant, he was willing to talk about the music for the final scene. He said, “It didn’t take much time at all to pick it, but there was a lot of conversation after the fact. I did something I’d never done before: In the location van, with the crew, I was saying, `What do you think?’ When I said, ‘Don’t Stop Believin’‘ people went, ‘What? Oh my God!'”

Does the ending leave the door open for a Sopranos follow-up movie? Sure, but don’t hold your breath. “I don’t think about (a movie) much. I never say never. An idea could pop into my head where I would go, ‘Wow, that would make a great movie,’ but I doubt it. I’m not being coy. If something appeared that really made a good Sopranos movie and you could invest in it and everybody else wanted to do it, I would do it. But I think we’ve kind of said it and done it.”

To be able to revisit some of the series’ now-deceased characters, Chase has considered “going back to a day in 2006 that you didn’t see, but then (Tony’s children) would be older than they were then and you would know that Tony doesn’t get killed. It’s got problems.” Chase has expressed interest in telling the stories of Tony’s ancestors.

Is a new series around the corner for the multi-talented creator? “It’s been the greatest career experience of my life. There’s nothing more in TV that I could say or would want to say.” Stay tuned!